An earthquake measuring 7.3 on Richter scale hit western provinces in the Islamic Republic of Iran on 12 November 2017 which has claimed hundreds loss of life, leaving behind thousands of injured and affected people. ECO Secretariat would like to extend its deepest sympathy to the people and government of the Islamic Republic of Iran for this tragic disaster.

It is to be reminded that earthquakes are among the more frequent and devastating natural phenomena in ECO Region, accounted for more than 100,000 deaths as well as significant economic losses between 2000 to 2015 in ECO Region.

In the light of the “UN Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction” and “ECO Regional Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction”, the ECO Member States are now working on regional programmes to enhance their capacities in disasters preparedness and response, including on building codes and building safety.